Articles written by R. Michael Straight

What is Helium

About me - R. Michael Straight

I am a 26 year old photographer, writer, librarian and (though not currently) teacher. Sounds boring, I know. I like to think I'm an exception to the rule.

While I write speculative fiction, satire, poetry and philosophical (mostly atheist) arguments and rants,

+ more bio information

RSS Feed

Hobbies & Games > Video Games (Other) Does violence in video games contribute to real life violence?: 5 of 217
No. At least, it should not.That is, for a normally functioning, non-sociopathic gamer, shooting a zombie on a television screen should not, does not, and will not directly manifest the desire to shoot a living person with a real gun.Having said that, it's important to note some things. First, it's assumed that the person (ty... More..
Religion & Spirituality > Ghosts & Paranormal Phenomena Experiences with ghosts: 9 of 122
The following is true and is not fabricated.Six years ago I lived in a large farm house in central Ohio. The Oakhurst House, as it was known, was upwards of 120 years old, and, by all rights, should have been listed in the historical registry. However, due to many years of less-than-attentive tenants, the house was falling in... More..
Creative Writing > Satire Satire: Teachers: 1 of 6
So you want to be a teacher? Fantastic. In the next few paragraphs I will attempt to outline some history, expectations, suggestions, and little-known facts as you embark into this amazing, lucrative and much-appreciated field!For thousands of years, teachers have been held in high esteem in nearly every society. Frequently, ... More..
Education > Standardized Tests Should the SAT be abolished for college admissions decisions?: 4 of 19
College entrance exams are good in theory. If a school wishes to maintain a certain standard, there must be a way to qualify and quantify this. Exam scores are, by their nature, a simple and effective way of doing this.Unfortunately, one standard exam (such as the SAT) is only useful if the knowledge base of all test takers i... More..
Education > Homeschooling The case against Christian homeschooling: 2 of 4
The cons of Christian homeschooling are no different from any other type of homeschooling: limited exposure, lack of breadth and little, if any, social assimilation. Part of schooling-either public or private-is the students' access to a vast array of knowledge, points of view and opinions, many of which can drastically quest... More..
Creative Writing > Poetry Poetry: Death of a loved one: 423 of 600
I once knew a man who said wordsso beautifully I wanted to catch them in netsand use them as bedding. From his chapped lipssyllables dripped like Syntec. Machines purredat his soft commands. Hearing his chastening whisper,his stubble tickling my ear, I would shrinkand mourn my battered, childish pride.At the dinner table, blo... More..
Creative Writing > Satire Satire: The prom: 3 of 4
The Prom, a mandatory "dance" held in high schools all over the United States, Canada, Egypt, Iceland, Cuba, South Korea, Angola, Cameroon, and parts of southern Uzbekistan, is often referred to as "Devil's Night" or "The Night Before the Morning After" (occasionally the word "Pill" is added, though usually in jest).It serves... More..
Computers & Technology > Internet Issues Pornography on the Internet: Free speech or subject to regulation?: 25 of 33
Regulate content? No. Regulate access? Yes.Pornography is the recording and subsequent distribution of sexual acts. To be lawful, it must occur between consenting adults (age eighteen in the United States). What two or more consenting adults involve themselves in sexually is their business and their business alone. If they wi... More..